I've decided to begin my research with a dictionary definition, Mind Map and Mood Board:
(Image created using www.wordle.net)
Mood Board (Images from various sources)
The main thing that has become apparent from doing my mood boards is the vibrant colour, richness and detail available in the imagery to do with mushrooms, both in real life photographs and the artwork.
The predominant colours featured in the artwork seem to be purple, orange, red and green. This is mirrored in the photographic images with the addition of white. The vibrancy is again demonstrated by the following poster:
Forest Floor Mushrooms (Arora, D, 1999)
[C15: from Old French mousseron, from Late Latin mussiriō, of obscure origin]
Origin: 1350–1400; alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle English muscheron, musseroun < Middle French mousseron ≪ Late Latin mussiriōn-, stem of mussiriō
fungus
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Where to start?
There is such a wealth of information on the Internet that it is often difficult to know where to start with a new research project. The aim of this project is to prove an interest in this topic by finding examples from media that shows a cultural interest. The more types of media that are influenced by "mushrooms" and the more current that media, the greater the public interest and exposure.
When collecting the images for my mood board, I noticed that a lot of them related to websites on foraging and magic mushrooms. With this in mind, I am going to start my research with foraging.
mushroom —n
1. a. pileus Compare toadstool the fleshy spore-producing body of any of various basidiomycetous fungi, typically consisting of a cap (pileus) at the end of a stem arising from an underground mycelium. Some species, such as the field mushroom, are edible
b. (as modifier): mushroom soup
2. the fungus producing any of these structures
1. a. pileus Compare toadstool the fleshy spore-producing body of any of various basidiomycetous fungi, typically consisting of a cap (pileus) at the end of a stem arising from an underground mycelium. Some species, such as the field mushroom, are edible
b. (as modifier): mushroom soup
2. the fungus producing any of these structures
3. a. something resembling a mushroom in shape or rapid growth
b. (as modifier): mushroom expansion
b. (as modifier): mushroom expansion
—vb
4. to grow rapidly: demand mushroomed overnight
5. to assume a mushroom-like shape
4. to grow rapidly: demand mushroomed overnight
5. to assume a mushroom-like shape
6. to gather mushrooms
[C15: from Old French mousseron, from Late Latin mussiriō, of obscure origin]
Origin: 1350–1400; alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle English muscheron, musseroun < Middle French mousseron ≪ Late Latin mussiriōn-, stem of mussiriō
fungus
n pl fungi [ˈfʌŋgaɪ ˈfʌndʒaɪ ˈfʌndʒɪ], funguses
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any member of a kingdom of organisms (Fungi) that lack chlorophyll, leaves, true stems, and roots, reproduce by spores, and live as saprotrophs or parasites. The group includes moulds, mildews, rusts, yeasts, and mushrooms
2. something resembling a fungus, esp in suddenly growing and spreading rapidly
3. (Medicine / Pathology) Pathol any soft tumorous growth
[from Latin: mushroom, fungus; probably related to Greek spongos sponge]
fungic [ˈfʌndʒɪk] adj
fungus-like adj
(Collins, 2010)
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any member of a kingdom of organisms (Fungi) that lack chlorophyll, leaves, true stems, and roots, reproduce by spores, and live as saprotrophs or parasites. The group includes moulds, mildews, rusts, yeasts, and mushrooms
2. something resembling a fungus, esp in suddenly growing and spreading rapidly
3. (Medicine / Pathology) Pathol any soft tumorous growth
[from Latin: mushroom, fungus; probably related to Greek spongos sponge]
fungic [ˈfʌndʒɪk] adj
fungus-like adj
(Collins, 2010)
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Where to start?
There is such a wealth of information on the Internet that it is often difficult to know where to start with a new research project. The aim of this project is to prove an interest in this topic by finding examples from media that shows a cultural interest. The more types of media that are influenced by "mushrooms" and the more current that media, the greater the public interest and exposure.
When collecting the images for my mood board, I noticed that a lot of them related to websites on foraging and magic mushrooms. With this in mind, I am going to start my research with foraging.
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For the most part these books seem to be about the cultivation or use of mushrooms. The popularity of foraging seems to me to be on the rise and is evidenced by the fact that all of these books have been published in the last month.
A lot of newspapers and magazines have articles discussing the rise in popularity of foraging:
"Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made foraging cool on his River Cottage series, while Jamie Oliver proclaims wild food pukka. Even the typically hot-headed Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White says he relaxes with a little mushroom hunting. “I could spend hours looking for mousserons, penny buns and chanterelle mushrooms.” He often did so as a child, in the grounds of Harewood House in Leeds. "
Go Wild In The Country - The Big Issue in the North (Haydock, 2011)
Although the next article doesn't relate specifically to mushrooms, it does demonstrate the public interest for foraging in general."Such is the demand for foraged fare that one supermarket plans to tap into the burgeoning trend by stocking sea vegetables. Samphire and sea aster, both native British plants, will appear at Waitrose fresh fish counters this summer for the first time." Waitrose taps into the popularity of foraging by stocking sea vegetables - The Herald (Swarbrick, 2011)
"This has been called the year of the foragers. Every year more and more people armed with guidebooks are exploring the hedgerows to indulge in a spot of Mesolithic role-play. Something that was once seen as anorak hobbyism has slowly gained traction, probably due to the early efforts of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and even Jamie Oliver, who got into mushroom collecting a decade ago thanks to his mate Gennaro Contaldo." Foraging without Damage, The Guardian (Weston, 2011)There are lots of videos on YouTube showing how to collect and forage for mushrooms. Jamie Oliver uploaded a video of Gennaro Contaldo's Mushroom Picking adventures.
(Oliver, 2007)
One of the issues around foraging seems to be the potential damage that can be caused - in particular to mushrooms. The popularity of foraging has led to it becoming commercially viable and hence there is a risk that over-foraging could mean the demise of some species. Restaurants want to cash in on the craze by adding foraged foods to their menus:
Perigord Black Truffle (www.finefoodspecialist.co.uk.2011)
(Motifake.com, 2009)
The above poster is from a website (http://www.demotivationalposters.org/tags/mushrooms) That has a series of posters dedicated to mushrooms.
River cottage - Mushroom Magic: Head off on a mushroom journey with Hugh, John and Gill. Feast on 50 minutes of brand new River Cottage material packed with information on how to make the most out of your mushrooming, in the wilds and in the kitchen. (Lace Group, 2007)
One of the issues around foraging seems to be the potential damage that can be caused - in particular to mushrooms. The popularity of foraging has led to it becoming commercially viable and hence there is a risk that over-foraging could mean the demise of some species. Restaurants want to cash in on the craze by adding foraged foods to their menus:
Mario Carbone from Torrisi Italian Specialties, in an article for the New York Times by Oliver Strand and Joe DiStefano (2010) said:
“I want to get it on my menu,” he said. The delivery of wild plants plays an important role in setting the restaurant apart. “It’s invaluable,” he said. “I can get it, and no one else can.”
The popularity of foraging and for unusual ingredients is demonstrated by the price increase for this years Truffles:
"Boston area chefs say untimely rain and hot weather in Europe last spring have doubled the price of the gastronomic delight to about $3,000 per pound, up from $1,500 last year. " Boston Herald (Grillo, 2011)
The above poster is from a website (http://www.demotivationalposters.org/tags/mushrooms) That has a series of posters dedicated to mushrooms.
The above film is a factual/educational DVD showing how to forage and cook with mushrooms. There are a lot of these on the market. (E.g. "The Collectors Guide To Mushrooms", (Jordan, 2010), "The Mushroom Identification Trilogy" (Lockwood, 2011).)
There seem to be less films around the subject of mushrooms that are purely for entertainment.
"Shrooms" (Breathnach, 2007) is probably the most famous. The 2 examples below are the only others I can find. This shows that although Foraging and Mushrooms are a popular topic in the media generally they have not really made an impact in the film industry as yet....They are often seen in popular animated films - discuss Avatar, Bugs Life etc later.
 (Chilvers, 2008) Simon Chilvers Movie - an Australian fictional comedy about a fugitive who hides out with two women, who have their own larcenous history. |  (Mann, 2009) KNOW YOUR MUSHROOMS follows Gary Lincoff and Larry Evans as they lead us on a hunt for the wild mushroom. Although this is factual in its content, it is presented in a more light hearted, almost whimsical way. |
There are several bands with the name "mushroom" in their title or in the title of their music. I picked the two below because of the link to foraging, but also because I find the images of the album covers themselves interesting.
 "Vicious Delicious "(Infected Mushrooms, 2011) "... renowned for being the sonic innovators of crafting hypnotic arrangements, complex layered melodies and synthetic rhythms known as “Psychedelic Trance,” " |  "Forage" (Minus, 2010) " Filled with staccatto guitars, plastic synths and a voice somewhere between David Bowie and Marilyn Manson." |
One unusual link I found that I want to mention is:
"Increased Neural Activity of a Mushroom Body Neuron Subtype in the Brains of Forager Honeybees" Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, (Kiya T, Kunieda T, Kubo T, 2007)
Although this is not about foraging or mushrooms in the context I have been looking at, it does demonstrate a more unusual scientific link between the two topics.
Foraging has had a large presence in the media of the last few years and continues to do so. I want to return my research back to the topic of mushrooms, as there is a wealth of media from toys to theatre which I hope to show next.
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Foraging has had a large presence in the media of the last few years and continues to do so. I want to return my research back to the topic of mushrooms, as there is a wealth of media from toys to theatre which I hope to show next.
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"Ray Hoy's Letters From Under the Mushroom Cloud captures an unforgettable moment in time during a military stint on a nuclear test site, but more than that his book is a testament to the endurance of respect and love that keep alive people we have lost. You will be moved in ways you can't anticipate." Laura Belgrave, The Claudia Hershey Mysteries
